Florida Premiere
USA / 2025 / English / 85 min / Buddhism, Spiritual
Director, Writer, Producer: Jane Centofante; Producer: Jayne Hufschmid, Kraig Butrum; Writer; Jayne Hufschmid, Editor: Thavisouk Phrasavath; Music: Peter Golub; Director of Photography: Alexander Hufschmid;
Narrator: Corey Brill
Contact jane@satreeproductions.com
SPECIAL GUEST: Jane Centofante
SYNOPSIS – Saffron Robe is a feature documentary that follows a revered Buddhist abbot in the remote northern region of Laos, as he navigates the challenges of a sacred life under a communist regime.
An ambitious spiritual leader, Abbot Onekeo Sittivong defied convention by establishing a new school for his country’s poor and undereducated children. But something else is happening at this school in a misty forest. The abbot and his fellow saffron-robed monks and young novices are working tirelessly to revitalize ancient Lao Theravada Buddhist practices and education almost lost to history.
Of the many scars left by the Vietnam War, little is known in the West of the lasting revolution in the small but pivotal country of Laos, where the U.S. carried out its “Secret War.” After the war, while America and much of the rest of Southeast Asia moved forward, the people of Laos experienced a profound transformation almost overnight, from a 600-year-old monarchy to a communist-run state. Among those most affected were the country’s revered Theravada Buddhist monks, once the spiritual leaders and the foremost educators of Laos. Many were forced to flee their temples and return to the rice fields for survival. Yet, Buddhism remained central to the spiritual and cultural fabric of the country.
Through the eyes of the young novices attending the abbot’s school, Saffron Robe journeys to a secluded plot of land along the Mekong River. Here, boys from the country’s most isolated and poorest mountain villages endeavor to receive an education otherwise inaccessible to them. Beyond a full day of basic education, they learn the centuries-old traditions of Theravada Buddhism, nearly lost to war and revolution, while also living by the strict rules of monastic life. The novices struggle between a generational past of subsistence farming and a hope for a brighter future. They carry the weight not just of their own hopes, but that of their families who place their collective dreams on the shoulders of their sons.
On the surface, this is a story of breaking the cycle of poverty and ignorance through education. Many of the school’s students will eventually disrobe to become educators or professionals, earning an income to support their families. The abbot, however, believes the novices’ path is about much more. Saffron Robe follows the abbot’s dream to safeguard the traditions and wisdom of a rich culture against the encroachments of a modern world by passing this heritage on to future generations.
SPECIAL GUEST: Jane Centofante
Director Biography – Jane Centofante began her career as an editor at various publications, including California magazine, before transitioning to work as a freelance editor and researcher specializing in non-fiction. Her projects have included books on current events and biographies, notably those of Dian Fossey and Bob Hope. In addition to her editorial work, she manages Boardwalk Press, a small independent publishing house focused on travel/gift books. A transformative trip to Laos inspired her shift from curious traveler to independent documentary filmmaker. Saffron Robe is her debut documentary. She resides in Los Angeles.
Director Statement
Twelve years ago, I embarked on my first journey to Laos, where I had the privilege of meeting Abbot Onekeo Sittivong, a revered Buddhist monk who oversees the Lao Buddhist Fellowship across much of northern Laos. Over time, he welcomed me—and eventually our crew—into the sacred world of Lao Theravada Buddhism in Luang Prabang, a realm rarely glimpsed by Westerners.
My relationship with the abbot developed gradually over multiple visits, rooted in mutual trust and respect. This bond ultimately granted our crew rare access to his private school where its devoted students pursue their education with deep reverence. At the same time, Abbot Onekeo works tirelessly to safeguard the traditions and values of Lao Buddhism, now under increasing pressure from the forces of modernization.
As a Buddhist monk, Abbot Onekeo must carefully navigate his role within a Lao communist government—a challenge we, as filmmakers, also had to negotiate. Yet in the end, I believe we captured the heart and soul of his remarkable efforts, offering a window into the vital work being done in a quiet corner of the world.
Bringing this delicate story to the screen required great care and sensitivity. To that end, our editor, Thavisouk “Thavi” Phrasavath (Academy Award–nominated The Betrayal), brought both deep experience and a personal connection to the material as a Lao refugee in helping to shape the film with profound care and authenticity.
Sponsored By – Teri Pattulo